Dec 31, 2011

This poignant video and it's story has had me crying and thoughtful for days..

Part One

Part Two

To make this already bittersweet story more potent for me, the young man at the center of the home made videos, Ben Breedlove, bears a slight resemblance to my beloved nephew, who is just a bit younger than Ben when Ben left this world on his ascent to heaven.

This enigmatic eighteen year old boy died on Christmas day; he was such a rare and special type of of human being that it almost makes sense that God would want him by his side, in perfect solace, within that pure white light that Ben was so transfixed by in his various brushes with "death", as we know it. But what Ben had been made privy to was an ancient and elusive truth; shared by God and the heavens: that when his life finally ended on Christmas morning, it was truly the beginning of eternal life.

Despite knowing that Ben is in a place where there is no pain, no worries, no fear, many of us, including myself, can't help but feel a bit cheated that we never got to know Brn Breedlove for not having known this him - in this life.

As he was young in years, but oh - so - much - older on a spiritual / higher level. And anyone, child or adult, gifted with sensitivity, recognized Ben's other-worldliness, before he even lifted that first index card. His countenance, his smile, are of A beautific sort that literally exudes a beauty from within that cannot be named.

Peace, comfort, love and blessings to Ben Breedlove's family and loved ones.

I think it no coincidence that he " left" us on Christmas day. I feel at least some solace knowing that he is wrapped in that wonderful pure white light that he so generously related to us, undoubtedly for our comfort, more than a simple need to share. This was his last message, his gift to all of us.

I believe that it was only the barest of the edges of heaven that Ben Breedlove saw and felt on those three unforgettable occasions, but now he is safely ensconced deep within it's unfathomable peace and beauty.

Thank you Ben, you made death so much less imposing and you enhanced our faith in God and eternal life, tenfold.

Dec 25, 2011

"The study of human nature may be thought of as an art with many tools at its disposal, an art closely related to all the other arts, and relevant to them all. In literature and poetry, particularly, this is especially significant. Its primary aim must be to broaden our knowledge of human beings, that is to say, it must enable us all to become better, fuller, and finer people." -- Alfred Adler

I found a most valuable website ( linked in the title header above) written by a self proclaimed layperson, who from the very start, states that she has no formal training nor degrees in psychiatry. However to me, someone who has read a great deal of academia and endless research regarding Personality disordered persons, characteristically abusive men, both batterersand of the emotionally abusive variety) sexual predators, child predators and even study in forensic psychiatry, I can conclude that this writer is extremely sharp and very well acquainted with not only the definitions of said disorders, but even more importantly, the practical application of potentially life saving information, especially for women and girls.

The website owner and writer's main focus is recognizing personality disorders, with an emphasis on Narcissism this seems to focus upon men ( simply because she was a woman and NPD is statistically much more likely to occur in men than women.) although she is quick to point out that women also can have NPD and can create as much destruction in other peoples lives, not only as romatic parteners but as co-workers relatives including siblings and mothers, the latter who often pass the narcissitic or anti social PD gene and propensity to thier children.

I realize that at first glance, this may sound like a lot of very depressing cerebral and analytical reading, perhaps even reminiscent for some of loathsome memories of required reading in
College or High school Psyche classes. I assure you that this is differen, it has a highly practical application for our lives, the lives, our children's lives - especially our daughters, but our sons as well,

In fact women and men of all ages would do well to familiarize themselves with this rarely talked about subject matter. It is indeed essential as any self defense course, if not more so.

The only reason that I am posting about personality disorders in the first place is because personality disorders are extremely common in batterers,abusers and predators of all sorts, including sexual and homicidal predators. As such, I naturally feel very strongly that every young women and girl should become familiar with the characteristics habits and traits that are tell-tale warning signs of the more dangerous personality disorders, such as Narcissistic personality disorder and *Anti-Social Personality disorder, the latter more commonly referred to as "Sociopaths" and/or "Psychopaths."

This information is as important to a young woman and/or teen as the information she would garner in a good self defense class. and again I am not speaking only of the physcial self defense moves but moreover the defensive thinking that is imparted to students who take a self defence course from an instructor that spends equal time on teaching students observation skills about other peoples behaviors when out in public places or even when dealing one on one with a stranger that they may be intimsdated by or simly uncomfortable with ( often not even knowing why, but the class will elaborate on honing these instincts)

* NOTE; The term anti-social within the phrase anti-social PD shouldn't be confused with the NOTION that the person with this disorder is anti-sociable - IE a loner dislikes talking to others etc.

In fact, Sociopaths can exhibit an unuusal persuasiveness and charm, when they care to, and generally have something to gain in the short or long run. However this charm is superficial and facile charm and the persuasiveness goes hand in hand with a deceptive, manipulative nature, that conceals a total disregard for the rights needs, bounderies or wants of other people.

As well all sociopaths are not necessarily criminals, although many who manage "success" in a chosen career will and do resort to subterfuge and bullying and even terrorizing employees, co-workers etc.

Now, before you say to yourself "Psychopaths! Narcissists! Personality disorders! Come on, this sure doesn't concern me or my family... I respectively ask you to reconsider and read on.

The reason is simple; the fact is that many domestic/partner/intimate violence situations,including a massive amount that end in homicides, often involve Psychopaths or Narcissist PD's, as the aggressors. And contrary to oft-times reflexive assumptions, typically, personality disordered people, including sociopaths more often than not, look just like the rest of us. In fact, sometimes ( although this should not be considered a steadfast rule ) In fact, people with narcissistic personality disorder or ASPD may dress and groom themselves with expensive clothing and at the very least make a point to appear as an alpha male within their presumed peer group.

As well, both NPD and ASPD persons can often be highly articulate, they often possess higher than average IQ's , despite sometimes having anxiety related issues related to testing, which can lead to misleading interpretation by school or prison official who may wind up dubbing the ASPD especially as learning disabled" when in fact this often stems from an emotional disability, or the result of an attention disorder concurrently existing within the same personality disordered male.

And the higher the intelligence and verbal skills of the sociopath and or narcissistic - the more dangerous and deadly they can be as these traits are terribly misleading and few are taught about this and even fully grown adult women are often not aware of these tell take symptoms and thus cannot be expected to keep their children from becoming involved with a sociopath who looks quote normal" as did Ted Bundy and Joshua Komisarjevsky, the latter who in fact had an ongoing relationship with a much younger girl at the time of the Petit family murders. The young girl Caroline Meisal, had recently moved out of State, or was moved by her parents as she was still a minor during her relationship with the then 27 year old Komisarjevsky, as well he father was a minister!

This frightening fact - that a extremely attractive young teenage girl from a caring middle class family, wound up in a serious relationship" with a considerably older man, that she knew was a multiple felon- In fact Carolyn purportedly met JK whilst accompanying a friend of his- also female- to prison to visit him! This can be the =Ill help fix him or I am attracted to his bad boy side.' But in the case of Ms Meisal I believe that she was chosen by Jk because of her looks, age and emotional immaturity that accompanies that age, which includes naivete. As well being the product of a minister father, she likely had the concept of forgiving people as Jesus did, and or giving people a second chance, ie not judging them, idealogy that had been inbred into her nature and this sadly made her a perfect target for someone like Komisarjevsky.

He seemed to have a life long atttraction to younger "innocent" girls, they unilke a women his own age, would be more likely to get involved with someone who was basically a punk, a degenerate, a low life, and this is in fact exactly what J. Komisrajevsky was/is.
This is a perfect example of the manipulative, charming and persuasive nature of the ASP Disordered male; Ms. Meisal later would declare that she knew "josh" had committed some crimes - burglaries is all she knew, but she assumed it had to do with drug addiction or something along these lines and she would later say' I didn't ask a lot about it I knew people make mistakes...." Therein you have the main reason Meisal became involved with such a person. She was a teenage girl with a particularly trusting nature, dating joshau was akin to helping a hurt puppy in her eyes, insofar as her level of world experience etc.

It might explain to a sane adult why someone would break into peoples homes over and over again, however despite having used this excuse one of many, to his parents Police and probation parole workers, he would soon prove this as the convenient lie that it was, when later bragging that the break ins which occurred only when the residents were in the homes, were a form of " extreme sport".

This was already known to Police and many of Komisarjevsky's other friends, but unfortunately his naive parents who are the very definition of enabling and co-dependent, chose to believe as many would the first explanation, because as I pointed out, people by nature want to believe the best in people - especially when they have a relatively innocuous appearance and give us a story of being abused troubled and damaged" ( I even think that Komisrajevskys time weathered lawyers fell for his act, judging by their extreme efforts to quote save him from a death sentence - this went beyond the normal parameters of classic actions of an atypical anti-death penalty lawyer whose mantra is no matter what my client did they don't deserve to die.

Jeremiah Donovan et al Attorneys for JK were so off the charts in their tactics and their zeal, resorting to a veritable symposium of morally repugnant legal" tactics that included constant attacks upon the surviving victim and the victims families, so much so that I have to believe even with my jaded eyes, that this guy fell for some of his client's lies and manipulation: Even when considering that these attorney's certainly were flailing, trying to make a name for themselves (off the backs of these victims,) ie if they got Komisarjevsky life instead they would be relegated to the pop culture book deal and interview making fleeting fame as Casey Anthony's lawyer, whose actions he will someday be held accountable for to a greater power than the American media machine.

The reason for the inverse relation between intelligence and dangerousness is simple; as a society and individually we are taught that educated people or simply those that sound educated or claim to be educated are people we can trust, they seem the last person who would ever be a criminals after all, or so we think, and we continue to teach our children and young adults incorrect and life threatening information or lack thereof , concerning signposts for potential predators batterers stalkers and date- rapers, or simply out and out sexual assailants who remember usually escalate slowly, they may decide to commit their first " kill " in order to destroy the DNA and or witness evidence.

Do we want this for our daughters or even for out sons as many a narcissist will latch onto a particularly vulnerable young man or boy and influence the young mans life in extremely negative ways. And because most young persons are not taught about personality disorders they may believe that the friendship is volatile or problematic because of something that they keep doing, which is usually what a narcissist or anti social PD wants their friends" and potential mates" to think. In fact they are excellent manipulators and they can really do a number on any young or adult person who for whatever reason has a slightly low self esteem or an extremely naive nature.

This is completely avoidable and once it has started there are intervention type of techniques for extracting our children or our siblings or our adult relatives from these sick attachments, as they cannot rightfully be called friendships or relationships, despite the victim believing just that.

Do we really want another generation of women possibly victimized be it physically emotionally or financially by men (or less often women) with these dangerous disorders, simply because this is a subject that is difficult and can be upsetting at first because females are nurturers by nature still, and this leaves us particular vulnerable because we are raised to believe that people are inherently good and everyone deserves the benefit of the doubt etc. etc . Thus, this can really make it very hard to accept and seems to pose a real spiritual tug of war within ourselves to process this to accept that there are simply evil people in this world, That cannot be fixed no amount of kindness or goodness or love will transform them

Now this word evil in this context is not a eerie supernatural sense of the word evil, as this ascribes too much power to these individuals, and its not realistic. In fact many with PD'S inwardly relish the idea that they are evil and bad men, because they cannot or will not achieve uniqueness or attention in any productive or positive fashion, Often when given chance after chance for this by well meaning parents partners, relatives or "friends" they will ultimately resist mucking through all of those unnecessary RULES that the rest of humanity lives by. They believe that they are special although they will often tout themselves as persecuted damaged or even abused in order to gain sympathy and suck in a potential victim.
No they are not supernaturally evil they are in fact extremely predictable.

And this is where our empowerment comes from, and where we can empower our older children and or young adults as we see fit for age appropriateness. People with these Disorders are not mentally ill, this is not the same as having bi polar which is a mood disorder although one can have both a mood disorder and a PD, but it will be the PD that wreaks havoc in other peoples lives in possibly criminal ways. as such this is why I am giving this tutorial or sorts with the help of this excellent website by a women who I believe has recently passed on, although she left a veritable pearl of wisdom for us in her wake.
I must reiterate, at the risk of the Personality disordered individual intimidating via perceived special powers of evil - there is no such fanciful reality for people to fear, or as in the case of sick people (often women who become enamored of "dangerous men such as serial killers in prison, to revere sadly enough.

In fact this brings to mind a very apt expression : " The Banality of Evil" and It is most apropos here.

In summation, it translates into this; Evil people with no consciences are in fact usually very predictable, they are not mysterious, they all follow a certain group set of behaviors and share common traits - And as such, they can be identified and dealt with accordingly. This means avoiding becoming involved with them on any level. Keeping a close watch upon them if they are a neighbor or a relative and in cases where we or a loved one is already involved to some degree with one,

Ridding our/their lives of them with the least bit of volatility violence or emotional destruction. I find that once a person understands that there is a name for the person that has so messed with their lives and heads, they are relieved and validated. As I said awareness empowers, it also takes away the notion that the PD acquaintances carefully supplants that we are the one who is the problem - we are not loyal enough or supportive enough etc etc etc. All manipulative techniques that they all might as well have read from the same manual.

Often women who have the Kind hearts can become easy prey to these men, as they see kindness as a weakness something to be exploited, although it is rare that they know admit this openly. They might admit it in some form if you pay close heed to their words and moreover their actions or their lack of normal action and interactions with other human beings.

Whether you have someone in your life with either NPD or ASP whether they are a relative a co-worker, or worse, someone that you have become romantically involved with,( often this is utterly unbeknownst to the person dating the NPD Or ASD, and yes this includes being married to one.

I ask all women of legal age to read the linked website and please please really consider the information that this writer is proffering. She makes no bones about the fact that she hasn't " degrees in psychology etc" however she has apparently lived through an involvement with a personality disordered person and wrote that website having survived it, but obviously also having amassed great deal of pain and destruction to her life and her inner emotional life. Fortunately she not only lived to tell about it, she came out of the other side of the tunnel with a vast amount of wisdom regarding a subject that all women -and yes men too- Need to be made aware of.

To me this information is as intrinsic to young women as sex education is for the appropriate aged Teen. And that age can only be determined by loving parents who will decide when they'd like to teach their daughter the hallmarks, the give aways of young men who have one of these personality disorders. This information unlike so much that young girls learn in school and outside by mentors etc. is information that may save their life in a prophylactic sense. IE when you see these traits or anything like them, in a boy or a man that you are dating, or otherwise involved with, extricate yourself at once. And unlike many other things that parents pass on the their children, once availed, they will also understand why.

That is, once they learn the actual real life application of all of that weighty information in the Diagnostic Statistical manual ie DSM or their Psyche 101 0r 102 or advanced Psyche in high school and/or College. This, for those who have sat through what usually sounds like a lot of uninteresting drivel that we shall never use in our lifetimes. At the age of 17 I can tell you that none of it seemed to bear the slightest bit of reality in my life then or even within the following ten years. Unfortunately this was because of the way it was taught. Had someone preferably a woman explained how this related to toxic relationships, abusive men- and women (less common but do exist) as well as the occasional personality disorder person that I would find myself working with, related to and unfortunately for me dating for a relatively very short time frame but long enough to nearly cost me my life.

In actuality we, and our children teenagers and adults, will need this information, but our schools most assuredly need a better way of broaching and teaching these essential teachings to our young people. I suggest in the meantime that as individuals we as adults first learn all that we can and then pass along these tough realities to the next generation, as well as friends and loved ones of more advanced years.

This is a subject that needs to be talked about, and understood, as it can become life saving..

Dec 19, 2011

Sadly, missing persons are often directly related to violent crime, and statistically it is often of the domestic/partner variety.

This entire subject is a pressing issue and has been for quite some time ; I agree wholeheartedly with this wonderfully outspoken Connecticut victim's advocate at the nucleus of this article.

Every state needs an entity whose sole job is specifically pursuing the trail of adult missing persons,yet it comes as no surprise that Connecticut has none. This leaves missing adults to often fall through the cracks recieving much less energy and manpower from police. This is because of an administrative loophole really; they are not technically relegated as a suspicious dissapeearence thus a possible crime ie abductions, adult female slave trade etc, unless there is most exacting proof of foul play.

And "conjecture" by family members is what many larger Police departments will too often label genuinely suspicious and concerned relatives and friends who are most aware of the missing persons life habits relationships and what was going on in their lives just prior to their disappearances.. Trying to prove that thier loved one obviously met up with fould play is often left to the family of the missing person too often, as various cutbacks in an already light department law enforcement, leads to police having their hands full with " proven" homicides, rapes, kidnappings, Home invaders etc.

The well known case of then 38 year old Waterbury resident Billy Smolinksi has brought an infusion of attention to the issue of missing adult persons. It is sad that it took a terrible tragedy to open up the States eyes to this serious gap in a public safety service. In fact, Mr smolinski has become the poster child for why Connecticut needs a department that has the time and resources to give this extremely important problem, the attention it deserves and requires.

To read up on this case and the unbelievable difficulty that the Smolinksi family has endured in thier quest to find their son, check out the Cool justice report by Andy Thibault and click on the Bill Smolinksi link on the right side of his blog.http://www.cooljusticereport.blogspot.com/

Dec 17, 2011

We live in a nation where in 2010, a violent crime occurred every 25 seconds, a forcible rape every six minutes, a murder every 35 minutes.

We live in a state whose capital city last year registered 26 homicides, in a county whose biggest community last year recorded 22 homicides.

But this isn't Hartford. This isn't Bridgeport. Westport prides itself on its charity and its civility. Homicides aren't supposed to happen here.

That is precisely why the town was left shocked and numb by last week's fatal shooting of a well-respected, 65-year-old jeweler in an apparent late-night robbery at his office.

Yekutiel Zeevi, known to his friends as "Kuti," was shot in his second-floor office in the Compo Shopping Center at about the same time retail merchants in the complex were ushering out the last of the night's holiday shoppers before locking up.

Now, as 25 local and state police detectives search for a suspect, Westport shakes off its sense of disbelief and searches for an answer. How could this happen here?

The short answer is that evil does not always obey boundaries. But our shock, our dismay and our uneasy sense of vulnerability stem from the fact that violence visits Westport so infrequently.

"We pride ourselves in having a safe community where people look after each other," Police Chief Dale Call said of the shooting. "It's tragic, there's no other way to look at it."

Said a 19-year-old Bridgeport youth who works at a sporting goods store in the shopping center, "You usually hear about this kind of thing where I live ... not in a small place like this."

It has been 15 years since Westport's last homicide, a domestic dispute in which a man shot and killed his estranged wife at her workplace, then killed himself.

Recent crime statistics document the chief's contention that Westport is a safe community -- among the 10 safest in Connecticut, by one account.

The FBI tracks serious crime -- including violent crime and crimes against property. In Westport, the 2010 FBI data shows, more than 95 percent of serious crime was against property, not people.

The town recorded a scant 14 violent crimes last year: seven aggravated assaults, five robberies and two forcible rapes. That compares with 299 reported larcenies, 78 burglaries, and 16 motor-vehicle thefts -- crimes in which no person was threatened or even touched.

The FBI data also shows violent crimes in Westport have declined for two consecutive years, from 28 in 2008 to 20 in 2009 to 14 last year.

For its size, Westport is very well protected. With a population of 27,000, the town has 68 police officers.

Of 13 Connecticut municipalities with populations of 24,000 to 30,000, only one -- gritty NeLondohas more police officers, according to the FBI's 2010 data.

The 68 officers in Westport compare very favorably to similarly-sized Ridgefield's 45, New Milford's 47 and East Haven's 52, the FBI data shows.

Police believe there was nothing random about the apparent robbery and the killing of Yekutiel Zeevi, rather that his business was targeted specifically. It is not a retail store where customers walk in off the street to browse; it was a maker of high-end jewelry where clients made appointments and had to be buzzed into the building through a security door.

The man police believe killed him had visited the day before and returned on a night when a New York City diamond merchant also was there, a man who also was shot but survived.

Ironically, Yekutiel Zeevi in earlier years was no stranger to conflict and to danger. Friends called him fearless. He was born in Israel and was an infant during the 1948 Arab-Israeli war that led to Israel's independence. "Kuti" was raised by a disciplinarian father who was quick to raise a hand to rebuke him. As a young man, he was a commando in the Israeli Navy during a period of intense Middle East hostility.

He would survive all of that, emigrate to America and find his way into the jewelry business and into Westport, where he would raise a family and prosper.

The community's collective heart goes out to his family.

Westport was a safe place when Yekutiel Zeevi settled here a generation ago. Even in the face of his brutal slaying, it still is.

The article above was taken from this weeks " Westport News" , where the recent Robbery, Murder and attempted murder at a local jewelery shop, has brought the citizens of this quaint suburbanite town to a grueling reality check regarding violent crime - and this in the midst of a what is usually a lovely festive time of year. As the article states the mindset that "crime is not supposed to happen here" is sadly incorrect as we have learned from the Petit family crimes and many others over the past ten years alone. One need only click on the Connecticut cold case website to the right of this blog, to learn that unsolved crimes alone are plentiful in one of the wealthiest States in the nation. Looking even closer you ll see that quite a few unsolved murders have occurred in sleepy little hamlet type sound side environs such as Westport Milford and the like.

The man who committed the murder and Robbery is still at large and has been spotted on video eyeing Jewelery stores in New York City and as far away as Philadelphia. He tries to change his appearance, such as padding his coat to appear heavier -this in the Westport crimes - but as anyone who watches the videos below can see, it is indeed the same man in all of these videos.

I suggest that as difficult as it may seem right now while the town and other areas are still grieving this loss, we try to learn from this terrible act of violence, and at least insure that we and our loved ones are doing our part to keep ourselves our family and ourcommunities as safe as posssible through awareness and vigilance.

Dec 16, 2011

Here is some additional and clearer video footage of the man who allegedly killed the owner of a Jewelery store in Westport Connecticut, and seriously wounded his partner.

The man has apparently been spotted in New York City, as well as Philadelphia, casing other Jewelry stores. The trouble with this man's appearance is that it is chameleon-like, easily changed: In the Westport video, he was obviously wearing multiple layers of clothing under a blue coat in an effort to look heavier, and his clothing and the padding lend him an almost thuggish appearance. I spotted this at once from the back shot of him going up the stairs to the Jewelers office.

Other first hand descriptions, as you can hear in this video from shops in the New York, Philly areas that he visited, are describing the killer as "soft spoken" and "collegiate looking." One can be assured that that appearance and even the speech are likely affectations, that have been honed in order to better appear monied, and therefore someone who would naturally fit in as a prospective client at an upscale Jewelry store.

This crime, like all violent crimes is extremely upsetting, especially when lives are taken brutally over money. What makes it even more upsetting to me is that it happened on the same streets that I shopped in for twenty some odd years, growing up in Westport and living there throughout my early adulthood. And like most crimes the more vigilant that the public can be, the better the chances that this man is apprehended before he commits any more bloodshed.

Please be very aware of your surroundings as you shop this holiday season. It is good practice to always look around as you enter stores, exit your car in parking lots and even as you drive, stroll and window shop. Be very very aware of who is around you , follow your instincts and be assertive in the way you carry yourself.

In a self defense class that I took a few years ago, the first exercise the instructor had us all do was to go to a supermarket or a mall parking lot and look around for a few minutes. He asked us to study all of the people walking around to and from their cars. Then he asked us to do the unthinkable; think like a criminal; decide which people would make the best victims, IE who wasn't paying attention to their immediate surroundings? Who was distracted, IE on a cellphone, in a daze, or otherwise preoccupied, not paying attention to who was near their person, or perhaps was watching or following them?

This early assignment/ within this self defense mini course was extremely valuable and one that I carry with me every single day of my life ; And yes, you too can learn to do this, and still be a nice person, a "people person" good hearted and not become paranoid.

At first I will admit that I had a hard time carrying myself with my new found stature, it seemed to go against the very grain of all that I had embraced my whole life - IE Trust People for they are mostly good. Be kind to everyone, Be friendly, smile and you will make someones day etc.

All of these things are still true, and it took me a bit to learn that I could still be my trusting self ( until proven otherwise or instinctively feel otherwise) but adding awareness, exude confidence and a the practiced art of simple observation, some of these were new yet soon adapted painlessly into my daily trek through life.

Dec 12, 2011

I grew up in Westport Connecticut and I am very familiar with this Jewelry shop. I am crushed and outraged that someone could have such little regard for life as to attempt to take two lives over some money/Diamonds. One good man died and is being deeply mourned by the community and another is hanging on to life in ICU.

Here is a surveillance video of the suspect seen on the albeit, very old security camera.

Please look at this carefully and call The Westport Police with any thoughts or tips.

Dec 11, 2011

Over the course of the last several day's friends and faithful readers alike have asked or e-mailed me: "Why haven't you written anything aboutthe verdict yet?

The Verdict.

They are referring to the by now, well publicized death penalty verdict that was thankfully, finally handed down by a jury to the man long considered the instigator and main perpetrator of the Petit family assaults, robbery and murders, Joshua Komisarjevsky.

The truth as to why I have been so slow in penning what at first glance seems like "great news" (as well the hard won result of years of hard work and diligence from State prosecutors) is at once simple and complicated.

The breadth and the depth of the feeling that has been coursing through my my heart, my mind and my soul, since the announcement of the verdict two long days ago, has simply put - overwhelmed me. It has managed to render me - an avid wordsmith - word-less.

Upon watching the verdict read aloud by the jury , on a large flat screen television screen in a doctors waiting room no less, I felt an enormity of things - But to express them was another story.

Some feelings, like relief and gratitude were easy to discern.

A reassured sense of gratitude to God who I had been praying to fervently since LEARNING about the Petit crimes, these crimes had struck a pained chord of such magnitude that I have been literally consumed by them as well as emotionally invested in the procurement of justice, for these girls.

There was also of course a gratitude an appreciation for the twelve intelligent and sensitive Jurors, each one deigned with an enormous and weighty decision of such magnitude that many could not fathom having to make it.

On the other hand some would have jockeyed for the position.

One thing I can say certain is that these Jurors clearly took their jobs very, very, seriously. They used a great deal of energy, time and intellectual wrangling in considering all evidence testimony and facts presented to them over a record 6 week penalty phase of the Komisarjevsky trial .

They followed the Court 's instructions regarding mitigating and aggravating factors to a tee. And from everything that I have read and heard, there was not one juror that made the decision to give Joshua Komisarjevsky the death penalty, easily and without a measure of emotional and moral difficulty.

And this is all good. This is not a decision that should be made with anything even resembling surety or ease. And this, this is how our Justice system is supposed to work.

Whether to give Komisarjevsky life in prison or the death penalty for his participation and culpability in the murders of Hayley, Michaela and Jennifer Petit will obviously have life lasting effects on a many people, some of whom closest to the crimes, will be affected in drastically converse ways.

Sole survivor William Petit Jr. and his extended family members have been understandably andrightly united in their desire to see this lifetime career felon, receive our State's most severe penalty for the murders of three of their beloved family members, two of whom were just beginning thier promising young lives.

Or, as it was maddeningly expressed in courtroom legalese; "The commission of multiple "Capital Murders, including the murder of a child under 12 years of age" , and capital murder involving multiple aggravating factors"

Translated, this means that particularly brutal and cruel behaviors and actions were taken against the victims within the commission of these crimes; the convicted murderer's behaviors inflicted excessive suffering to the "victims".

In human terms this was the brutal and cruel murders ofthree innocent human beings, including a teenage girl and a child of 11, the latter sexually assaulted by Joshua Komisarjevsky minutes before her murder komisarjevsky the man who initially targeted Michaela, her mom and sister at an area Supermarket late on a summers day, following them back to their home in order to size it up for breaking and entering.

These crime seemed to bring out the moral outrage of even the most liberally minded, politically restrained and emotionally level individuals. For four and a half years now, I have heard what has almost become a mantra of sorts regarding the Petit crimes, the words comingfrom all across the State and well beyond even from other countries and continents.

"I thought I didn't believe in the death penalty, but after this case, I' and my husband/ wife have changed my/our mind!." Or Another common variant: "I wasn't sure if I believed in the death penalty but after learning about these crimes I now am certain that I want the Death penalty to remain and option for just this kind of crime"

There were thoughts and feelings that I was was trying to sort out after the verdict that were not as simple to pinpoint as relief and gratitude. Somewhere, in all of this was a central emotion that I couldn't find a word to describe.

It had no name.

And this, this was the reason that at the " end" of this struggle, I now found it so difficult to put pen to paper so to speak; To express myself aptly and coherently about this verdict and this enormous outcome of what began as a tragic event, an event that had such a profound affect on me, that it virtually inhabited my mind my heart and my soul for almost five years.

I plainly, just didn't want to get it wrong.

I could be lazy and simply say I was "glad" - I was glad that the verdict came in as it did, but this did not seem right. "Gladness" and/or "happiness" both seemed terribly wrong somehow, as if to to imply a happy ending" something so off - kilter that that it was almost akin to obscene.

So I took some time.

It deserved that.Prayer works wonders, and thinking and grappling with emotion, I came to a type of conclusion. Although the circumstances that brought this all to bear were so very tragic, the closest feeling that came to describing what I felt over this, it's formal conclusion, was a kind of sad satisfaction.

I was satisfied that the system that we have in place, as flawed as it might be, ultimately did it's job, it delivered the closest thing to Justice that it is allowed to deliver.While this simple word doesn't perfectly fit nor relate the total essence of what was residing in my heart, maybe that too is part of the lesson here. Perhaps, for the most potent things in this life, there are no words.I can and will say that I feel proud. I am proud of survivor William Petit Jr for setting the example that he has for other survivors of violent crime, as well his amazing display of strength and courage under such extreme circumstances and challenging times.

I know he has struggled, I know he is not superman, and yet he made himself get up, and push his way through every single sunrise and sunset, managing to move forward, as he asked us to do during his family's now infamous memorial message; He did all of this and also managed to slowly build a charitable foundation in his family's memory, a foundation that's ultimately helped a a lot of people struggling with an array of human suffering including victims of violence, folks living with chronic illness as well as subsidizing positive life outcomes for young women and girls.

We are all proud of the entire Petit, Renn, Chapman and Hawke families, for their constant grace even under fire. their absolute faith, courage and their dignity. These special people have set an example that many of us admire and aspire to.

And I'm also really proud of my fellow supporters" people, folks within the State of Connecticut and beyond who through prayer, letters and well wishes have helped keep the Petit families spirits aloft.

I personally have made e-mail and Internet friends from all over this country and beyond - in Canada, the UK and even Australia. This friend making and bonding has been an outcropping of other peoples desire to share their feelings, with my Blog's coverage of the crimes acting as merely a catalyst. Other writings associated with crime legislation connected to these crimes and issues within our Justice system that they ultimately got people involved in.

I've managed to make it to one of the Petit Foundation 5K Race day, and I have to say that the unity and abounding love was simply overwhelming. The caring, kindness and support that arrives from near and far, and the sheer force of human goodness and spiritual generosity, never ceases to feed my desire to continue to make a difference, to reach out, to always lend a hand, even when times are difficult within my own life.

To see the collective outpouring of compassion and kindness just after the crimes, and almost simultaneously witnessing an ever growing, unwavering, stalwart support, was, and continues to be something truly magnificent to behold. A lesson in faith and humanity that it such a gift.

In the end, the truth is that this one terrible act of evil ultimately wound up bringing so much good, relentlessly caring and tenaciously loyal souls together .And i just have to say that from everything that I have learned about the Petit "girls", I sincerely believe that they have been part and parcel of this miraculous lesson in the pervasive goodness of the human spirit. Michaela Hayley and Jennifer brought us all back to center...to what really matters;I thank them every day for this.

I believe today as I believed that first very difficult year after the crimes, that the candles that lit up the town of Cheshire on the the "Cheshire Lights of Hope", although but one of many carefully orchestrated community events, that benefit the newly formed and very successful The Petit Family Foundation this one special night seems to best embody the sentiment that resides at the core of the P.F.F Mission Statement; That statement was taken directly from Michaela Petit's Facebook page; her favorite quote by Mahatma Gandhi.

Dec 6, 2011

The fact that the national media is reporting that they expect a decision from the jury by the end of this week is telling;.This means that someone has become privy to the fact hat the Jury or someone representing the jury, has communicated to the Judge that they are nearing a decision.

Let us pray that the Jury's decision is the correct and Just decision, the outcome that most of us feel is warranted and indeed the only true justice for the lives if these three precious human beings.

Dec 2, 2011

I recently happened upon a comment that I made months ago on a certain persons Blog in response to a post by said person who, believe it or not, a diatribe that was supposed to serve as type of closing argument on Joshua Komisarjevsky's behalf - Or as he liked to call him "Josh" A much more innocuous sounding name, for a a convicted child rapist/ murderer, who is anything but innocuous.

I don't wish to draw attention to this person's blog, for he is an ego driven imbecile who has attacked the surviving victim of these atrocities as well as the victims other family members, but suffice to say that I only need mention it as a point of reference for it it in response to Norm Pattis's foolhardy op-ed in the Hatrford Courant that I began what started as a comment but turned into a manifesto of sorts

By laurel O'Keefe on October 20, 2011 3:32 AM

First, lets address this claim that Josh" as you referred to him, "offered to plead guilty a long time ago".....

Your casual use of this innocuous sounding nickname for a man convicted of raping and murdering an eleven year old girl gives you away from the get-go; You are what has now become a banal breed of lawyers, so much so that your verbiage is even a tell.

"Josh" as you so casually refer to him, did not offer to plead guilty to all of the charges against him from the start, (ie making all of this expensive justice stuff unnecessary) and what he and his lawyers did offer" was certainly not motivated as an act of largess or magnanimosity, as you imply merely by the convienent over simplification of facts;

Komisarjevsky's attorneys, made an unofficial offer to plead to certain charges - with certain stipulations - in exchange for life in prison for "josh" ( also their casual sounding nickname for their murderous client) of course providing the death penalty was completely pulled off the table.

It's amazing that so many anti-death penalty advocates swear that the DP is not a deterrent and yet...... watch to what lengths the murderers/ rapists and their state financed lawyers always go to avoid even the mere prospect of being on "death row".

I say prospect because let's face it, as we have clearly learned in this state, from facts and figures and the embarrassing Michael Ross debaucle, the death penalty is, practically speaking, a death penalty concept, a sterile threat; It never happens, thanks largely in part to our legislators and lawyers and many legislators are lawyers) who have, in effect crippled purposely the Death Penalty, because they don't like the idea of it, for a spectrum of reasons, none of which would likely matter to them if a crime such as the Petit sexual assaults and murders happened to thier families. Truly! Watch how fast thier minds would change.

And this is really a moot point anyway, Poll after Poll has proven that the people of Connecticut, as Blue as it may be , are a practical lot when it comes to violent predators; the people of this state want, no demand, to reserve the right to impose the Death Penalty for its very worst offenders who are convicted of capital murders that fit a certain criteria of aggravating factors that must be proven in a court of law by a jury of his or her peers. And may I say that as a state we are extremely discerning in our mere pursuit of this sentence.

However, as you are well aware the built-in limitless appeals processes have rendered the concept of being put to death once given the death penalty which takes an awful lot of suffering and carnage in the first place - a joke; a sword with a very dull blade that one must literally rub someone to death with.

So what we wind up with are lots of people like you who have the audacity to use the argument that the system that you have helped cripple and in the process of crippling, make very expensive - for the state and other peripheral entities, as the very reason we should stop using it, and take the easy way out right from the start following a brutal gaggle of capital crimes committed against innocent persons, including murder and rape of children.

What kind of imbecilic argument are you making here, OR is this just more of the same armchair contrarian B.S that you hope brings you the much desired attention that your egoist narcissism seem to feed upon.

While its true that Connecticut plea bargains nearly 98 percent of it's violent crime cases, thereby making trials a thing of the past, spoiling prosecutors and criminal attorneys, who for the most part are no longer courtroom litigators but deal makers, BS artists, car salesman, or actually more like USED CAR SALESMAN. ... ahem.

Joshua Komisarjevsky offered to plead guilty unofficially because he was caught red handed fleeing a murder scene in the murder victims car with enough evidence to sink his ship. You seem to be saying that as a society and a criminal justice system, we are obligated to take the easiest and now the cheapest road to conviction of any kind, to hell with the fact that our state law at the time of these crimes did in fact dictate that such capital offenses that Mr Komisarjevsky knowingly engaged in, were punishable by the death penalty. And yet, they carried out those crimes nonetheless and from much of the evidence not with a first time murderers apprehension, panic or fear, but rather a sociopaths power - fueled glee.

I am betting that you don't believe half the BS that you spout here and elsewhere on the Internet; That this has become your "shtick" a gimmick, a persona which you've adapted, much like the Rush Limbaugh's and the Howard sterns. But the really sick sad part is that three human beings were yanked out of their beds kidnapped, sexually assaulted, dressed up in schoolgirl outfits and tied posed in obscene positions tied up and cell phone photos taken of her.

Michaela Petit's clothes were cut off her just minutes before she was assaulted and then bleach was poured over her in attempt to kill of the final bit of DNA that might remain from Joshua Komisarjevsky, or as his lawyers and Norm Pattis call him - "josh"

Then knowing that the man of the house the girls dad had escaped the cellar, Joshua and his hand chosen accomplice quickly doused both Petit girls with gasolineBoth girls had just listened as their beloved mom was jumped on by Komisarjevsky immediately upon returning to the house, he tied her up including a rope around her neck.! What was she thinking as she walked into her home, having given Hayes the money( who then gave it to Komsiarjevsky the leader) and hoping praying the men would now leave her family alone.

Komisarjevsky immediately tied her hands and her neck and legs, readying her for death. Steven Hayes sexually assaulted her having waited at Komisrajevsky's insistance until they got the money, or else Jennifer Petit would have never complied with the men knowing that they were truly evil. They wanted her to believe as Komisrajevsky hasd assured her over and over they just wanted money and theyd be on thier way"

She begged for her life and Komisarjevsky described in great detail in an interview with writer Brian Macdonald, how her voice became a squeak as her larynx broke first in one place then the other. The rape and strangulation took minutes upon long minutes. Josh paced in and out of the room with the baseball bat in his hands.

What happened next is a key piece of evidence proving that Komisarvsky was not the panicked second hand man who was quote "frozen" thoughout the Hayes led murderous ending of these crimes, as he and his lawyers have tried to sell us from the time of his arrest. "Josh" whose voice was the only voice that Petit was familiar with as he was the man who had beat him tirelessly with a bat spraying his Coumidin - thinned blood all over his sun room, now said, in a decidedly much more sinister voice :

" Don't worry... it will all be over in a few minutes...." As Petit described very specifically, this tone was a sharp change from the tone the same man had been using earlier with him. This was when Komisarjevsky needed Dr Petit's cooperation and compliance, (ie otherwsie, if the man knew he was about to rape and kill his family in the end he mightve struggled) right up until that last moment as soon as Mrs Petit was murdered, Komisarjevsky who claims to have been "frozen and unable to react" couldn't help himself from taunting the man whose home he had basically taken over, whose family he had raped and stripped of all of their power and dignity, who whom he would now ultimately finish off.

His voice was the only one that all of the family members were familiar with. Hayes said nothing. Dr Petit cited that only the man who beat him spoke and Komisarjevsky himself admitted to speaking with Michaela and Mrs Petit at length.

Thus, josh", as you call him, took a moment to yell down the stairs to Dr Petit, who hearing the terrible thumping and moaning that he thought might be his wife tried to yell something up at the men on the floor above him, but brain injured and severe blood loss caused it to come out a garbled non human sounding mess. (I have had that same type of brain injury and know exactly what Dr Petit meant when he related this detail whilst testifying)

It should be noted that Komisarjevsky has since taunted Dr Petit both within his writings to Author Brian MacDonald as well as his interviews and within his Journals and writings confiscated from his prison cell, where he surely knew they'd make their way to the public, and thus the surviving victim - William Petit Jr.s, attention.

In classic sociopath/ narcissist form, Komisrajevsky is actually bitter and angry that Petit survived, leaving a witness, and wrecking his plan - making his life more difficult!

And that's exactly what Joshua komisarjevsky did, he set his plan into action, eliminating the witnesses and getting rid of any DNA evidence as small as a hair from his head, the men pouring gasoline purchased earlier that morning took different areas, all over Jennifer Petits limp body with her pants still pulled down and her head bent against the couch, up the stairway and into first Hayley's room which he doused liberally and made his way into Michaela's bedroom where the gasoline was now almost empty and he poured its contents on the little girl whom he had just molested all morning and sexually assaulted, memorialized his crimes with a series of pedophile cell phone photos that he could look at over and over again.

The girls likely panicked and screamed as they realized what was about to happen. One of the police officers outside the house claimed he heard a girl or a womens scream shortly before the house lit up in flames.

It is in these moments that my heart and soul is forever trapped. The same holds true for Jennifer Petits return to her house having given the money to Steven Hayes dutifully expecting the men to do as they promised and " be on their way as soon as they got the money"

Instead, Komisrajevsky admits tying her up, claiming Hayes suddenly became the bossy leader and ordered him to. This of of course makes no sense but it adds to the notion of Komisarjevsky participating in Mrs Petits murder. The same woman he talked softly to and reassured so conbvincingly that they would leave once given the money.

But it is really in these moments that define this crime for me ; the shocked Jennifer Petit and her rising panic realizing that these men were going to kill her and her family, is something that as a human being I cannot help but relive with her.

komisarjevsky turned his back and walked away running now because the men had seen Dr Petit escape rolling across the grass in the rain straight to a neighbors house. He knew the police would soon be on their way. he hopped into the Petit's car and when Hayes didn't come out quickly he ran back in to see why' Hayes couldn't get the matches lit supposedly--too nervous or something, Komisarjevsky always the expert, likely sparked the flame in a rushed disgust and threw it onto the strategically gassed up home. The men ran out of the Petit's home laughing according to swat team police who has set up a perimeter.

Hayley Petit was so doused in gasoline as was her bed that it is thought that her binds pantyhose simply burned through and she found herself running through flames in a direction she thought was out. Her clothing was on fire and the heat unbearable, the smoke blinding choking, She succumbed, despite her love for her sister and her will to help, she was human and she fell face down at the very top of the stairs.

Michaela died still tied to her bed but her feet on the floor looking like she had desperately tried to get away from the flames and heat. Her skin was damaged from intense heat and blackened. The pillowcase over her head had melted to her face. Her blond hair was still intact. Her clothing bleached and cut from komisarjevsky's scissors.

If the death Penalty did not exist, neither one of these men or their attorneys rather, would have offered to plead guilty in exchange for life without parole. With the bar lowered and the threat of the death penalty gone, any lawyer worth his salt would direct their client to take their chance with a trial as they had nothing to lose" ie the worst thing that could happen would be a jury or judge sentencing them to life without parole, which theyd get in any event, whereas the better outcome and ever in the minds of lawyers within reach- would be life with the chance of parole, or 20 years which in Connecticut equates to 12 , subjecting the victims family to attend parole hearings every 2 years as the Sharon Tate family was compelled to do once the Manson killers death sentences were commuted to life with chance of parole in California.

With no death penalty as a possibility however faint, the State of Connecticut will be trying every single one of these cases, costing the State milllions and backlogging our courts and miring our already too thin prosecutors in many large city superior Courts.The individual voire dire that Connecticut uses for jury selection would cause a back log of even bigger proportion for any capital murder trials, and the money spent on all of this including the prosecutors who are also paid by the state and public defenders acting as the defense attorneys- (both men in the Petit crimes have utilized three public defenders each as have hundreds of other indigent defendants.)

We would have a monetary ripple effect that no legislators or anti-death penalty proponants including attorneys, ever talks about when insisting upon the abolishment of the death penalty.

So beyond the fact that every poll taken shows that the people of this state by far want to keep the death oenalty for the worst of the worst cases, as well as the huge time and money expense issues involved in abolishing it, not to mention the gigantic increase in all crimes formerly punishable by the death penalty - we would have a crisis on our hands of huge proportion.

Dec 1, 2011

Right off the bat lets address this fallacy that "Josh", as you referred to him, "offered to plead guilty a long time ago".....

First of all, your casual use of this innocuous - sounding nickname for a man convicted of raping sodomizing an eleven year old girl gives you away from the get-go; You are what has become a banal breed of lawyers, so much so that your verbiage is even a tell;

"Josh" didn't offer to plead guilty to all of the charges against him from the start, making all of this expensive justice stuff unneccesary and he and his lawyers certainly didnt do so as an act of largess or magnanimousity as you imply. His attorneys, if they can be called that, made an unofficial offer to plead to certain charges with certain stipulations etc in exchange for life in prison for "josh" (interestingly, thier nickname for thier client) of course providing the death penalty was completely pulled off the table.

It's amazing that so many anti-death penalty advocates swear that the DP is not a detterrent and yet... watch to what lengths the murdering rapists and thier state financed attorneys will go to avoid even the mere prospect of being on "death row",Because let's face it, as we have clearly learned in this state, from facts and figures and the embarrasssing Michael Ross debaucle, the death penalty is, practically speaking, merely a sterile threat, a concept - It never happens, thanks in large part to our knee jerk guilt reflex legislators and lawyers who have in effect crippled the Death Penalty because they dont like it but the people of the state want it for its very worst offenders who are convicted of multiple capital murders and as a state we are discerning with the mere pusuit of this sentence.

However as you are well aware the built-in limitless appeals processes have rendered the concept of being put to death once given the death penalty -which takes an awful lot of suffering and carnage in the first place - a joke; a sword with a very dull blade that one must literally rub someone to death with.

So what we wind up with are lots of people like you who have the audacity to use the argument that the system that you have helped cripple and in the process of crippling, make very expensive - for the state and other peripheral entities, as the very reason we should stop using it, and take the easy way out right from the start following a brutal gaggle of capital crimes committed against innocent persons, including murder and rape of children.

What kind of imbecilic argument are you making here, OR is this just more of the same armchair contrarion BS that you hope brings you the much desired attention (albeit EVEN IF IT'S mostly negative) that your egoist narcisism seem to feed upon.

While its true that Connecticut plea bargains neary 98 percent of it's violent crime cases, thereby making trials a thing of the past, spoiling prosectors and criminal attorneys, who for the most part are no longer courtroom litigators but deal makers, BS artists, car salesman, or actually more like USED CAR SALESMAN. ... ahem.

Joshua Komisarjevsky offered to plead guilty unoffficially because he was caught red handed fleeing a murder scene in the murder victims car with enough evidence to sink his ship. You seem to be saying that as a society and a criminal justice system, we are obligated to take the easiest and now the cheapest road to conviction of any kind, to hell with the fact that our state law at the time of these crimes did in fact dictate that such capital offenses that Mr Komisarjevsky knowingly engaged in, were punishable by the death penalty. And yet, they carried out those crimes nonetheless and from much of the evidence not with a first time murderers apprehension, panic or fear, but rather a sociopaths power - fueled glee.

I am betting that you don't believe half the BS that you spout here and elsewhere on the internet; That this has become your "shtick" a gimmick, a personna which youve adapted, much like the Rush Limbaugh's and the howard sterns. But the really sick sad part is that three human beings were yanked out of thier beds kidnapped, sexually assaulted, dressed up in schoolgirl oufits and tied posed in obscene positions tied up and cell phone photos taken of her. Michaela Petit's clothes were cut off her just minutes before she was sodomized and then bleach was poured all over her in attempt to kill of the final bit of DNA that might remain from Joshau Komisarjevsky, or as you call him "josh" Then knowing that thier dad had escaped the cellar Josha and his hand chosen asssiant Hayes quickly doused both Petit girls with gasoline- I want you toi imagine what thjey were thinking and feeeling as that gas was thrown on them in "giant circle like arcs" as the fire marshall testified in court.

Both girls had just lisened as thier beloved mom was first jumped on by bothmen who tied her up including a rope around her neck...what was she thinking as she walked into her home having given hayes the money and believing praying the men would now leave...Now they threw her down and tied her hands and her neck and legs and steven Hayes secuallyassaulted her a woman with fairfly severe MS. She begged for her life and Komisarjevsky described in great detail how her voice became a squeak as her larnx broke first in one place then the other. The rape and strangulation took minutes upon long minutes. Josh paced in and out of the room with the baseball bat in his hands.

Then josh, as you call him, took a moment to yell down the stairs to Dr Petit, who hearing the terrible thumping and moaning that he thought might be hid wife tried to yell something up at the men on the floor above him but brain injured and severe blood loss caused it to come out a garbled non human sounding mess. "Josh" whose voice Petit only knew as he was the man who had beat him tirelessssly with a bat spraying his coumidin thinned blood all over his sunroom,now said, in a decidedly very sinister voice

" dont worry it will all be over in a few minutes...."

This tone was a sharp change from the tone the man had been using earlier to gain his compliance, right up until that moment where he couldnt help himself from taunting the man whose home he had basically taken over, whose family he had raped and stripped of all of thier dignity, who he would now ultimately finish off.

And thats exactly what Joshua komisarjevsky did, he set his plan into action, eliminating the witnesseses and getting rid of any dna evidence as small as a hair from his head, the men pouring gasoline purchased earlier that morning took different areas, all over Jenniefr Peti's limp body with her pants still pulled down and her head bent agasinst the couch, up the stairway and into first Hayelys room Hayely who he Quickly he made his way into michaelas bedroom and the gasoline was now almost empty so he poured its contents on the little girl whom he had just abused raped and memorialized his crimes with a series of pedophile cell phone photos he could look at over and over again. The girls likely screamed as they realized what was probably about to happen.

Joshua komisarjevsky turned his back and walked away running now because the men had seen Dr Petit escape rolling accrosss the grass in the rain straight to a neighbors house. He knew the police would soon be on thier way. HE HOPPED INTO THE PETITS CAR AND when Hayes didnt come out quickly he ran back in, hayes couldnt get the matches lit supposedly--too nervous or something, Komisarjevsky always the expert, likely sparked the flame in a rushed disgust and threw it onto the strategically gased up home. The men ran out of the Petits home laughing according to swat team police who has det up a perimeter.

Hayely petit was so doused in gasoline as was her bed that her binds simply burned through and she found herself running through flames in a direction she thought was out. Her body was on fire and the heat unbearable the smoke choking, she succumbed despite her love and her will she was human and she fell face first at the topof the stairs.

Michaela died still tied to her bed but her feet on the floor looking like she had despeartely tried to get away from the flames and heat. Her skin was damaged from intense heat and blackened. The pillowcase over her head had melted to her face. Her blond hair was still intact.Her clothing bleached and cut from komisarjevsky's scissors.

If the death Penalty did not exist, neither one of these men nor thier attorneys would have offerred tyo plead guilty to life without parole. With the bar lowered and the threat of the death penalty gone, any lawyer worth his salt would direct their client to take thier chance with a trial as they had nothing to lose" ie the worst thing that could happen would be life without parole wheras the better outcome could be life with the chance of parole, and this is what every single criminal defense attorney would strategize.

The Connecticut courts would clog up with murder cases that were on the auto track for trials, the individual voire dire that Connecticut uses for jury selection would mean a back log of huge proportion for these trials, and the money spent on all of this including the prosecutors who are also paid by the state and public defenders acting as the defense attorneys- ieboth men in the Petit crimes have utilized three public defenders each as have hundreds of other indigent defendants. We would have a monetary ripple effect that noone ever talks about when proposing the abolishment of the death penalty.

So beyond the fact that every poll taken shows that the people of this state by far want to keep the death oenalty for the worst of the worst cases, as well as the huge time and money expense issues involved in abolishing it, not to mention the gigantic increase in all crimes formerly punishable by the death penalty - we would have a crisis on our hands of huge proportion.

About me

Writer, Healer, Activist for victims of violent crime and proponent for State-wide sentencing reform. For questions or information about crime-victim's rights or victim support services and referrals, pls email me in
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